


First Meeting. Take One.

by PinkWisp



Series: Toy Soldiers [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Dysphoria, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Nonbinary Character, Pre-Canon, Sexism, pre-transition trans character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:55:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29209968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkWisp/pseuds/PinkWisp
Summary: Klein is a nice man. His personalities may not agree, but they need this job.Tags: comfort, pre-canon, implied child abuse, nonbinary character, pre-transition trans character
Series: Toy Soldiers [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650538
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	First Meeting. Take One.

“Deep breath in. Okay good. Deep breath out.” Mrs. Schnee said gently. When Klein made a face at her she only laughed softly. “I’m sorry but you looked ready to pass out.”  


Klein almost felt like it. This was far worse than any interview he’s done. This was a trial run. Mrs. Schnee and Jacques weren’t the judge.  


It was her 8-year-old, Winter Schnee.  


He could feel is semblance anxiously bubbling in his chest. Emotions shifting and twisting but he held on. He… didn’t lie during the interview. His semblance did change with his temperament so he could resolve and adapt to a multitude of situations. Situations that a kid could spontaneously create without warning and reason, a temperament that could switch with the child’s need.  


Just… not on command.  


Mrs. Schnee smiled gently, a hand on his shoulder. Klein tried not to stiffen. Aristocrats weren’t known for public affection but her father wasn’t an aristocrat. He was from the mines. She wasn’t born into wealth but she was so young when it happened, was there a difference? Klein relaxed, or tried to as he breathed out again.  


“Winter will love you.”  


Or one of them.  


Klein was praying _Grumpy_ would stay asleep.  


Mrs. Schnee lead him down tall hallways that hurt his neck to look at. A guilty part of him was glad his task was to attend to the Schnee’s needs and not to clean the ridiculously build manor.  


Klein heard the violin first. Soothing and slow, notes melting into each other. Then a cello, low and humming. Neither instrument overpowered the other, not quiet sharing the spotlight and elegantly trading the lead. Until a screeching note came from the cello-  


Then sharp whip cracked against wood.  


“Mr. Azalea!” Mrs. Schnee yelled. Klein had to run to catch up to the women. She was definitely not an aristocrat. Damn women was far too athletic- and strong. Mrs. Schnee shoved a man nearly a foot taller than her steps back. “What have I told you about…” Her words died, soft regret on her face as she noticed another child besides her daughter. Blue hair, scared yellow eyes. A Marigold. There were two, one older and one younger but he forgets their names. “What are you doing here?”  


“Practicing,” The instructor sneered at Mrs. Schnee. Something flared across her eyes. Frustration crackling as the instructor continued to speak, “Mr. Schnee and Mr. Marigold will be hosting a _business_ event tonight. Not that he would have informed you,” The instructor’s nose was so high it blocked the _Glyph_ glowing in Mrs. Schnee’s palm. Not an aristocrat. Klein slowly made his way to the children. “My employers called me to ensure that Winter and- Agh!”  


The man was sent flying backwards, _Glyph_ still pulsing where he once stood until the deep anger in Mrs. Schnee’s face settled. “Whoops,” Mrs. Schnee drawled. She turned towards her daughter and winked, “Seems I’m out of practice.”  


Winter tried to stifle a laugh while the Marigold outwardly sneered… through tears. Klein leaned down, handing a handkerchief from his pocket.  


The young one was about to take it but jerked back. “I’m not crying,” the young Marigold’s voice cracked. _"Boy’s_ aren’t suppose to cry…"  


Anger surged through Klein, red engulfing their vision as thoughts shuffled and scrambled. Finally one settled and escaped their lips in a _Grumpy_ whisper, “Fuckin’ aristocrats.”  


Winter and the young Marigold gasped, eyes wide in delighted shock. _Grumpy_ winced clearing their throat and praying they didn’t screw things up for the others. Klein needed this job. They shoved the damn cloth into the lil brat’s hand and stood up. Hands behind their back felt right but something bout the posture was off… stiff? Nah, the bloody rich love stiff rodes, preferably up their arse. _Grumpy_ shuffled their legs, slowly inching them together. That felt a little better.  


“Mrs. Schnee! You and that dwarf will-”  


_That cunt needed more than boot, and I have two. One up the arse and another knocking his cunt faced-_  


“That is enough Mr. Azalea,” Mrs. Schnee said with a sharp smile. “My _husband_ isn’t the only one with a tight schedule.” The instructor laughed. Mrs. Schnee responded with a snap of her fingers. A… a creature of _Aura_ stepping out a _Glyph._ Grimm face snarling as it prowled and tower over the instructor. The little brats shuffled a little closer to _Grumpy_ but never left their seats. “I think it’s time make some adjustments to your contract.” The instructor tried to stand his ground. But against a Beringel he was force to follow Mrs. Schnee or be carried like a toy.  


“Ready or not, those kids will preform tonight.” The instructor hissed. From the corners of their vision, they could see the lil brats wince. The Marigold a lot more scared than Winter. Mrs. Schnee looked gave Klein a hopeful look but left.  


With no instruction on what to do.  


_Grumpy_ took a deep breath. Trying to wake up one of the others. _Doc_ or _Bashful_ would know what to do. _Happy_ would coddle the lil brats too much and get their arse fired. When no one answered on the exhale, _Grumpy_ opened their eyes and peered down the lil brats.  


“Our name’s Klein Sieben,” They said, voice starting smooth but graveling down into _Grumpy._ They sighed, at least Mrs. Schnee wasn’t here. While she might not be the judge, she was still a parent. “You, brat,” They looked at the Marigold- who flinched. _Grumpy_ rubbed their temples, trying to channel _Doc_ or _Happy._  


A man just whipped the table. A women just summoned a monster. Be nice. Be Gentle. Be not _Grumpy._  


“Sorry, ya?”  


“You’re not very good at this…” Winter said. The Marigold chuckled, between blowing out snot.  


“But at least I’m tryin! Alright!” Klein said. Winter blinked. She picked up her instrument, holding the violin to her chin. For a child… she was far too calm for what happened. Anger steered around in their chest, keep their semblance awake.  


“So is the Marigold…” Winter mumbled.  


“It’s not my fault the cello is big!” The lil brat yelled. “I don’t know why I needed to switch from the violin…”  


“The cello’s easy. You just suck.”  


Lil cunts. _Grumpy_ flicked both their foreheads with a finger before they started yelling. “Why don’cha switch?”  


The Marigold glared at the ground, like a wilting flower, “Because father thinks the violin is a _girl’s_ instrument. I don’t know why that’s a problem…”  


Oh. _Oh. So that’s why the others didn’t wake up._  


They looked at Winter, “Does ya family have spare violins?” Winter nodded. _Grumpy_ took the cello from the young flower’s hand and threw it across the room. The wood splintered and cracked, strings snapping. With a grin he looked at the stunned lil brats. “Whoops. Seems like you have no choice to play the violin tonight.”  


_Grumpy_ knew from the beaming smile that they just secured the job. Good thing the lil miss was their judge. Jacques would have done more than fire them.  


“And between us, none of that Mr. Sieben stuff. Just Klein, ya?”


End file.
